Olympics

I came home planning on writing all about our adventures in New York. Then we lost Chance yesterday and everything went to the wayside. I will put out a post about our adventures once I'm up to getting the pictures uploaded, etc. We did have a wonderful time and the dogs did very well.

I also wanted to write about the Olympics which are being held in my old hometown (like when I was 6-9 years old, so a long long time ago now) as I type.

I love the Olympics. It is the only time I become an avid armchair athlete. Normally, while I enjoy attending sporting events live, I watch very little sports on tv. I do watch the Stanley Cup and the NHL finals as a general rule (sorry, I'm Canadian, I have to watch hockey) but that's about it.

One of the many things I like about the Olympics is watching all the sports you so rarely hear about otherwise - snowboard cross, bobsleigh, luge, skeleton, aerial skiing, figure skating, etc. I'm particularly big on figure skating (blame Kurt Browning) and snowboard cross although I also like the half-pipe snowboard events. Many of them are sports that I'd love to try some day - especially bobsleigh (I love speed). Chances are I never will and that may be safer for all concerned but it is nice to dream about it. Maybe someday I'll get to visit the facilities used for the Olympics and try a mini-run or something like that :)

I'm an equally big fan of the summer Olympics - where I love diving (who doesn't like watching Alexandre Despaties?) and equestrian events in particular.

It's also really nice to see these athletes who work really hard all year round and do not make the big bucks that NFL, NHL, NBA. and other professional athletes make get the attention they deserve. It takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice to make it as far as they have and they deserve our support as they represent our country at the games. So, here's to all the Canadian Olympians be they medal winners or not, they are all winners in my eyes.

Vale Chance - Nuthatch's The Negotiator

Suddenly, yesterday afternoon. Chance had slowed down dramatically over the last year, particularly after the passing of his mother and best friend, Holly, last year. He will be dearly missed.






I Did Not Die

Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow;

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain;

I am the gentle Autumn’s rain.



When you awaken in the morning’s hush.

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft star that shines at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry.

I am not there;

I did not die.



- Anon -

The Pirate Project and Blogs That Make You Cry...

I'm almost finished the Pirate Project. I fell behind after becoming addicted to finishing Kushiel's Justice and Kushiel's Mercy. Then both True & Jeannie went and had puppies (there are photos up on the dog blog). It's been a distracting few weeks but I'm back on track and hope to have it finished in the next week or so.

Now that the Pirates themselves have seen it (the prototype was unveiled at the Pirate Christmas Gathering), I can tell you a bit more about it. As per usual, I bit off a bit more than I could chew and decided upon a project that ended up taking on a life of its own. I greatly underestimated how long it would take me to finish it or how often I would change my mind about the placement of different things.

In the end, it is intended to be (and hopefully succeeds on at least some level) a 50 page scrapbook ode to over twenty years of friendship between the Pirates. It contains pictures both new and old of the Pirates and their families. I tried (with varying degrees of success) to incorporate their likes, hobbies, profession, passions, etc through choice in paper, embellishments and text although I kept text to a minimum. I will take some pictures of my favourite layouts from the book and post them here.

I follow a number of blogs. Most are dog blogs featuring tons of pictures and stories, most happy and funny. I was following links when I happened upon a blog called Remembering Josh (http://rememberingjosh.blogspot.com ). At first it caught my eye because the boy in the picture made me think of Jacob. So, I started reading. I only managed to read a few entries as I was at work and I started crying. It reflects a family's grief after losing their teenage son to suicide. It is well worth reading, just keep the box of tissues close. It reminds you of the imporatnce of treasuring each and every day.